Where did the surname of Bradshaw originate?

Answer 1

Powerfully wielding the formidable family motto of "Vigilant And Bold!" through the obscurant mists of time, the noble English surname of Bradley strides proudly forth from their origins in Lincolnshire, where they had held a family seat as far back as 1170 A.D.

Some researchers are convinced that this family actually dates back to the ancient times long before the Norman Invasion of 1066 A.D.

Some of the family emigrated to New England, in the Americas, during the early 1600s.

Answer 2

It comes from the words "Broad Ley" meaning Broad Meadow and was first found in Lancashire England where I myself still live meaning there have been Bradley's in Lancashire for more than a thousand years as we held a family seat from very ancient times.

Some of the Bradley's migrated to Ireland such as my Grandfather, however some have gone further to many locations around the world

Answer 3

The Bradshaw surname originates in Britain. The mighty Anglo-Saxon tribes, who ruled all of Britain during the most ancient of times, assigned what have come to be known as "habitation surnames", which are based upon pre-existing place names, upon persons when surnames became necessary to differentiate between persons with similar given names. In this case, there were settlements named Bradshaw in Lancashire, Derbyshire, and the West Riding of Yorkshire. The Lancashire Bradshaw was a chapelry dating back to 1246, listed as Bradeshaghe, meaning "broad wood or copse".

Family motto: "He who lives contentedly has enough!"

The etymology is English, from Old English br�d 'broad' + sceaga 'thicket'.